the muslim brotherhood rose to power in egypt after the country's first free election. but hundreds of thousands are rejecting president morci's iron hand. israeli forces bombed gaza for eight straight days in november. retaliating after hamas militants fired long-range rockets across the border. forensic experts exhumed the body of yasser arafat to try to determine if he was poisoned eight years ago. north korean celebrated the firing of a long-range rocket into orbit. many believe the communist nation is advancing its nuclear technologies. taliban gunmen tried to assassinate a pakistani school girl who spoke out against them. but she survived and promised to keep fighting for the education of girls. 68,000 u.s. forces remain in afghanistan. is come a year after u.s. troop -- and a year after u.s. troops left iraq, more than 2,000 people died in ongoing violence. in italy, two americans were among 32 passengers killed when the costa concordia sank and the captain abandoned ship. the pope made a historic visit to mexico and cuba despite his frail health, the 85-year-old